Her Red Right Hand
by TheMackers
Summary: Jane and Lisbon reflect on Red John and the events in His Red Right Hand. Spoilers for His Red Right Hand and minor spoilers for Red Badge and Red John's Footsteps. Also slight AU-Jane and Lisbon are together. Rated T just to be safe


**Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist or any of its characters. **If I did, Minelli would not have retired and Sam would not have died (he would probably still be in a coma).

**Her Red Right Hand**

No one really felt like doing much after returning from Sam's funeral. Jane had purchased a bottle of Sam's favorite tequila and the team dedicated a toast in his memory. Jane had left the room as the team joined Rigsby in singing Amazing Grace, the song played at the funeral as everyone said their final good-byes. He tried to read through all of the files that Sam had on Red John, but gave up after about twenty minutes due to the fact that he knew he wasn't going to get much done, not while his Lisbon was hurt and upset. She needed his attention right now, not Red John, especially since Red John, unfortunately, wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Jane packed up all of the files back into the box and brought the box out with him as he headed toward Lisbon's office. When he entered her office, Lisbon was sitting at her desk, reading something on her computer monitor. She did not look over at him as he placed the box of Red John files on the far end of her couch.

"Do you mind if I leave these here?" Jane asked.

Lisbon looked over at him and shook her head.

Jane walked around behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and gently kissed her head and began to lightly massage her shoulders.

"Hey, let's go home. I think we've had enough for today."

Lisbon placed her hands on top of his hands and quietly replied:

"Okay."

* * *

When they arrived home, Jane and Lisbon immediately headed upstairs to prepare for bed. Lisbon quickly changed into her pajamas, which consisted of an oversized tee shirt and shorts, and then curled up under the blankets with her hand-held Solitaire game while waiting for Jane. Jane had changed into his pajamas and let Lisbon's dog, Tessy Fay, outside one last time for the night. Afterward, Jane and Tessy went upstairs to join Lisbon.

Jane slid into bed beside Lisbon as she placed her game of the nightstand on her side of the bed. She then snuggled into his arms as he laid down (when they started dating, Jane couldn't help but smile and love her even more when he discovered that the super tough Agent Lisbon was a cuddler). A few minutes passed and then Jane spoke.

"Teresa?"

"What?"

"This is all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Patrick, it's not your fault."

"Yes it is. I made Red John angry and he's still retaliating. This time though, he went too far. He hurt you, Teresa, and I can't take that. Seeing you so upset hurts me so much. You have every right to be mad with me after what happened today. It also makes me wonder if I'm putting you in danger by being your boyfriend. If you want to end our relationship, I'd understand. I'm too dangerous to be with-"

Lisbon cut off his sentence by placing a kiss on his lips. She pulled back after a few moments and stroked his cheek.

"Well, I guess that's a chance that I'll have to take because I love you Patrick Jane."

"I love you too, Teresa."

"Besides, Red John is a sick and twisted person with his own demented mind. You don't have any control over his actions." Lisbon told him. "And even if something did happen, you know I'd go out fighting like Sam did."

Lisbon gave Jane a sad smile. He just nodded and pulled her close to his chest.

"He was a good man." Jane stated.

"Yes he was. A very good man. "Lisbon let out a deep breath. "He was the first person to actually care about me. It was such an unusual feeling to have someone be genuinely concerned about me, but I'm so thankful he did. He and Mandee were such wonderful, caring people…"

The tears welled up in Lisbon's eyes.

"He's really gone, isn't he?"

Jane kissed the top of her head and began to rub her back to comfort her.

"Physically, yes, but I don't think he would ever really leave you. I'm pretty sure that he'll always be with you as your own personal guardian angel."

Lisbon was quiet for a moment. She raised herself up to look in Jane's eyes. She gave him a suspicious smile.

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

Jane smiled back at her.

"No, not really, but you do."

He brushed some stray strands of her hair behind her ear before kissing her forehead. Lisbon let out a sigh before snuggling back into Jane's arms.

"Yeah, I like that idea. Sam will be my guardian angel, protecting me from harm and protecting you from doing too many stupid things." she said.

"Hey!" Jane protested.

Lisbon laughed, and Jane wrapped his arms tightly around her and rested his head on hers. After a few moments of silence, it was Lisbon who spoke this time.

"Patrick?"

"What darling?"

"I changed my mind."

"About what?"

Once again, she raised herself up to look in Jane's blue eyes. In a very serious tone, she told him: "When we find Red John, I want you to know that if I have the chance to shoot him, I won't hesitate to do so. I won't stop you either from killing him. I have no doubt that he could still wreak havoc from jail if he was arrested and convicted. He might even escape and continue his rampage, who knows? But what I do know is that that man does not deserve to be alive, not after so many good people have died at his hand. He's too evil and too much of a monster to receive justice. I know that your plan is to kill him when we find him, but just promise me though that you'll let me, and the team, help you find him and bring him down."

"I promise, but are you sure that's how you want to do this?"

"He hurt me by taking away someone I really cared about and he's done the same thing to you. He's not a good person, Patrick. If we did kill him, I don't think anyone would complain about him not receiving a fair trial."

"Well, Rosalind might…"

Lisbon playfully punched Jane in the shoulder in response to his comment.

"The world would be safer without Red John."

"Yes, it would." Jane really couldn't disagree. "I just don't want you to regret that decision when it happens."

"I won't. I've lost so many people that were important to me and I don't want to lose you too by waiting too long to arrest the scumbag. You're too special to me, Patrick. I can't lose you."

Jane ran his fingers through her hair.

"And the same goes for you. If I see you or any of the team in danger when we go to get Red John, he's immediately dead. I'm not going to lose anyone else to that sick and twisted man."

"And if anyone would try and make a big deal out of Red John being killed, we could all claim self defense or the defense of another." Lisbon joked.

"I've taught you well, my dear. That is an excellent loophole. Minelli must be proud."

Lisbon sighed and pursed her lips. Jane, realizing that Minelli's retirement was still a sore subject, replied:

"Sorry. Didn't mean to bring that up."

"No, it's alright." she shook her head. "I just can't win, can I?"

"Welcome to my world." Jane smiled brightly at her. "You see, that's why we're so perfect for each other. We've both been subjected to a huge amount of negative events and neither of us have gone insane!"

"I know I haven't, but the psychiatrist that gave you a clean bill of health ended up trying to frame me for murder, so his opinion wouldn't really have much authority in my book. So, that doesn't say much for your sanity does it?" Lisbon told him with a devious smirk.

Jane opened his mouth to object, but Lisbon kissed him before he could respond. Afterward, they settled back into each other's embrace.

"Hey Teresa?"

"Hm?"

"I was thinking. After we catch Red John, or if this whole CBI unit thing doesn't work, we should start our own singing troupe! Seriously, we sounded really good during Amazing Grace!"

Through her laughter, Lisbon replied:

"And you were going to argue with me over your sanity."

Jane smiled to himself as Lisbon continued to giggle quietly. Red John may still be around, wreaking terror and destroying lives, but Jane realized that he now had something other than revenge fueling his desire to defeat Red John; love. Love for the CBI unit that had become his family. Most importantly, love for Teresa Lisbon, the woman who had put together all of the pieces of his broken heart and loved him despite of and because of it.

Somehow, his solo mission for revenge had transformed into a group effort. Glancing down at the sleeping woman in his arms, Jane knew that he wouldn't want it any other way.  
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A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed my first story, Prank Master. I hope this one turned out as well as that did. Let me know what you think! (Kudos to anyone who caught the reference to RJ's Footsteps. It was about Rosalind, who was RJ's girlfriend). If anyone was wondering, Lisbon's dog, Tessy Fay, is my puppy:)

**Reviews make great holiday gifts!**


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